Aardman will resume animation duties for the sequel, developing in collaboration with distributors StudioCanal and Pathe.

It has not been confirmed if members of the original cast - including Julia Sawalha as Ginger and Mel Gibson as laid-back American cockerel Rocky Rhodes, will return to voice their respective characters.

Aardman added in its tweet that the sequel will follow the new Shaun the Sheep instalment, due for release in 2019.

The announcement follows a number of long-awaited sequels in recent years, including Blade Runner 2049 and Star Wars: The Force Awakens.